“Last season Harry was deservedly our most improved player, which is testament to the hard work he put in and the positive attitude he bought to the room, bench and ice every night.”  These are the words of MK Lightning Head Coach Lewis Clifford as he described our latest signing for 2020/21.  Please welcome back Harry Ferguson for his third MK Lightning season. 21-year-old Harry was born in Elgin the north of Scotland, and spent the early part of his career in Moray and Edinburgh, including over 70 Elite League games with Murrayfield / Edinburgh Capitals.  He spent a brief period in the New Zealand league before returning to the UK to Milton Keynes in Lightning’s final Elite League season, via a short stint in Peterborough.  Last year, he made 45 MKL appearances, picking up 12 goals and 12 assists, and 97 minutes in penalties. Cliff had this to say about last year’s performance from Harry saying: “It took us a while to get [...]

Milton Keynes Lightning goaltending duties are in safe hands as we welcome back Jordan Lawday to the squad.  21 year old Jordan will be starting his third MK season after stepping up from MK Thunder to join Lightning at the beginning of last year.  He made 37 appearances and posted a 89.8% save percentage.   His strong 2019/20 season was unfortunately interrupted mid-way through the year by an injury as Lightning Head Coach Lewis Clifford explains: “Jordan had a bit of a stop start season last time round, but he showed in his performances why he’s so highly thought of in UK hockey circles. Since I first coached Jordan in the under 15’s I have seen him develop, improve and grow, and get better every year.”   Jordan himself felt his disrupted season affected his consistency a little, and is keen to get back at it: “I personally didn’t perform how I wanted to last year but it’s been a long summer of training [...]

“Kovy is a massively popular player in the room, a team first guy who isn’t out for personal stats or accolades.  He just wants to win.”  These are the words of Milton Keynes Lightning Head Coach Lewis Clifford speaking about the return of fan favourite Robin Kovar to the squad for the 2020/21 season.   Robin joined Lightning midway through last season from Bracknell, and had an immediate positive impact picking up 4 assists in his first game, on his way to 14 goals and 36 points in just 18 games.  His effect on the team was instant and long lasting, as Cliff explains: “Of all the changes we made last season, the biggest turning point in our fortunes for me was when we signed Kovy, who is a guy driven by success every day of his life both on and off the ice.”   It would have been an even great impact had Kovy’s season not been cruelly cut short when he sustained [...]

He’s one of the fastest players in the league and off the back of his best ever senior hockey points tally last year, we are thrilled that Rio Grinell-Parke will be pulling on a Lightning jersey again this upcoming season.  21 year old London born Rio appeared 45 times last year, amassing 13 goals and 29 points as well as 79 PIMs.  A favourite amongst many supporters for his work ethic, game impact and attitude, as well as his exceptional skating pace, this is sure to be a very popular signing amongst our fans. We caught up with Lightning Head Coach Lewis Clifford to get his views on Rio’s signing.  He started by praising Rio’s work-rate on the ice: “Rio is a pleasure to have as part of the team.  He is a player who has 2 settings, off and on, and on means 100% every time he steps foot on the ice. 99% isn’t in his vocabulary.” Early on in our season it [...]

The firepower continues to build for MKL as we welcome Bobby Chamberlain to the Lightning roster. 25-year-old Bobby joins us from Hull Pirates where he spent the previous 3 seasons, in a career that primarily centres around Hull teams, but which includes over 80 EPIHL games for MKL where he picked up 69 points. Bobby scored 37 goals and 71 points in 37 appearances in 2019/20 earning him 9th spot in the overall league scoring charts. This is a thrilling signing for MKL as Head Coach Lewis Clifford explains: “Bobby is a huge character and someone who I’m very excited to have in a MKL shirt when the season starts." "Over the last few seasons, his offensive stats have spoken for themselves, but that really is only a small part of the package we have brought him here for. He is a guy who will do whatever is needed for the team, whether it’s scoring an important goal, opening up space for his line [...]

The depth and experience in the defensive lines of MK Lightning continue to build as we are delighted to share with you the return of Ross Green for another MKL season.  Ross made 42 appearances last year picking up a goal and 12 assists and 42 penalty minutes in a string of strong and consistent performances in the team.  Now 28, Green - known to his team mates as Sloth – is continuing his long run as an MK hockey man in a career which started in the MK Storm junior system.  Proof to all of today’s juniors that you can make it too! MKL Head Coach Lewis Clifford paid tribute to Sloth’s long-term MK career saying “It’s great to have Sloth back on the team, a guy who knows exactly what it means to be an MK Lightning player and another one of our homegrown crew.” It’s a long term working relationship that Cliff has had with Sloth, whose family are also a [...]

Continuing our theme of team continuity, we’re delighted to let you know that Hallden Barnes-Garner is returning to MK Lightning for 2020/21. An MK junior, he spent time developing his hockey in Slough and Austria playing in the Eastern European junior league as well as time with MK Thunder before joining MKL last year. MKL Head Coach Lewis Clifford places massive stock in the performance and function of the team as a unit and picks players who will contribute to the whole. Halds is exactly in this mould as Cliff explains: “Halds is one of the best team guys you could wish for. He is loved by his teammates and always puts the team before himself. Hallden appeared 42 times for MKL last year, bagging a goal and 20 PIMs for his efforts. He took crucial shifts to take the pressure off the top lines and mix up the on-ice action, often disrupting opposition teams with his positioning, work ethic, and physicality. Still relatively [...]

Returning for a second season with Smith Recycling Milton Keynes Lightning is shot-stopper Brandon Stones who joined us at the beginning of last year from Sheffield.  Brandon played 21 times for MKL, posting a .894 save percentage last season which was disrupted by an injury a couple of months into the schedule.  Despite this, he was a tremendous presence in the locker room and around the club and won the Coach’s Player of the Year at the end of season awards. Nottingham born Stones played his junior hockey in that city before spells across Sheffield, Edinburgh and Coventry in the Elite League, and a number of EPIHL and NIHL seasons at Sheffield via Telford.  He has represented GB at under 18 level. Brandon is the first of our netminding tandem to be revealed this year, and Head Coach Lewis Clifford is delighted to have him back for a second year: “Stonesy is the type of guy you would always want in your team, a [...]

There will be no re-retirement of the famous MKL number 9, as club legend Grant McPherson has signed for the 2020/21 season.  By very popular demand, Grant will be once again pulling on the Lightning jersey after last season reaching the tremendous milestone of 500 League games played for the team.  He was also voted as the Players’ Player of the Year, emphasising his role in the team and the respect he has earned from his peers. G himself is pretty chuffed to sign saying: “I am delighted to be back in Lightning colours for the up and coming season. By the sounds of things, Cliff is putting together a strong roster and although we’re not entirely sure when the new season will get underway, I can only but assure you, when it does, we will be ready to go. Lightning Head Coach Lewis Clifford underlined the role that G will play in the team: “As I have said before, leadership is one of [...]